So, today I share a recipe of Healthy Quinoa Bowls with Kale, Carrots and Tahini Turmeric Dressing. I will begin with the end: Tahini Turmeric Dressing. Have you ever tried fresh turmeric? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in stock. I didn’t even know what it looks like. Not until we went to the North Sea coast to spend a weekend on a farm. I wrote about this getaway and amazing food experience we had some posts ago. Well, in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere where there is only one grocery store I’ve found fresh turmeric, but not in Hamburg with its 1,7 million inhabitants. Ridiculous, isn’t it? To be fair, a lot of Danish people cross the border to buy groceries in this town, because it is much cheaper in Germany for them. But I digress… So I found the fresh turmeric and I had no idea what I will use it for, but I had to buy it. Can you see these little worms on the picture below? That’s fresh turmeric. I also got some purple carrots which are not available in grocery stores in Hamburg as well. Sometimes life is unpredictable in Germany, too 🙂

If you are wondering why do you even need fresh turmeric if you have dried one, here is the answer: fresh turmeric contains more essential oils and is more pungent, whereas dried turmeric is mostly used for its color. Moreover, turmeric has enormous health benefits, especially when used together with black pepper, which helps the body to absorb turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antiseptic effect, can reduce pain and boost metabolism. To convert dried turmeric into fresh, multiply it by 3. It mean that one teaspoon grated turmeric equals 1 tablespoon fresh turmeric root (about 1 inch or 2.5 cm of the root). With this in mind, you can use fresh turmeric for recipes that require the grated one, for example:

It’s still OK to use the dried turmeric in this recipe: Healthy Quinoa Bowls with Kale, Carrots and Tahini Turmeric Dressing.

Following my Tahini paste recipe, I made a dressing incorporating both turmeric and tahini paste. It was a successful combo and I recommend it to everyone who is looking for new flavors. I added a bit of garlic and Greek yoghurt to balance the taste (use cashew yoghurt if vegan). This dressing will not only work well with these quinoa bowl but also with salads, stir-fries and roasted veggies. It’s so tasty that I recommend making a big batch of it, and store it for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

As for the bowls, don’t they look good? Healthy meets delicious and seasonal here. Kale, carrots, cashews, quinoa, turmeric, tahini… There is no single unhealthy ingredient. Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables, it is the richest source of vitamin K and contains insane amounts of other vitamins (A, E, C, B1, B2, B3 and B6 ), minerals (manganese, calcium, iron, magnesium and copper), fiber, protein, omega-3 fats and antioxidants. Kale has anti-inflammatory, cancer-preventive, cholesterol-lowering and detoxification benefits. It provides more nutritional value for fewer calories than any other food! Those are good reasons to include kale in your diet right now, when it’s in season in Europe. Carrot is another health benefit record-breaker. It contains fiber, beta carotene (vitamin A), as well as numerous minerals which help improving vision, reducing cholesterol and the signs of premature aging. I could go on and on with this but to make it short: Healthy Quinoa Bowls with Kale, Carrots and Tahini Turmeric Dressing will benefit your health as they contain at least two superfoods (quinoa and kale). See the recipe below and get some health kick! How to Make Healthy Quinoa Bowls

Combine quinoa with water and a pinch of salt in a pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cover with a lid, reducing heat to low. Let it simmer for 15 minutes and then drain.

Meanwhile, peel and slice carrots. In a wok or a large skillet, heat a lug of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add coriander, ground cardamom, salt, black pepper and 2 tablespoons water. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add honey (or syrup) and simmer until the liquid evaporates, about 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate.

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6 Comments

ksenchan

I feel like my eyes have just been opened. How have I never thought of combining tahini and turmeric?? What a great, natural pairing! And the whole bowl looks just great – pure comfort food. Thank you for publishing this!

Thank you so much for this nice feedback! I never used fresh turmeric in cooking before so I wasn’t completely sure this pairing will work. But it came out to be a very tasty dressing I use for salads as well 🙂

Chef Lynne Pelletier

This sounds like a wonderful dish and it will be perfect for my clients… thanks for sharing but I must play grammar police here….. it isn’t “grounded” it is “ground” just so you know. If you’re posting on the web you should seriously check your grammar and spelling !! Chef Lynne

I just made this recipe exactly as you outlined above and it’s phenomenal. I could eat this all week and be excited about it each and every time! The tahini pairs great with the tumeric. I LOVE the sauce. Thank you for the recipe!